Bollene (France) (AFP)
Bis repetita!
The Irishman Sam Bennett won the fifth stage of Paris-Nice on Thursday in Bollène (Vaucluse), his second victorious sprint since the start.
Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo) kept the leader's yellow jersey despite a crash during the stage.
Bennett, already winner of the first stage last Sunday, clearly ahead of Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni and German Pascal Ackermann.
The strong headwind slowed down the peloton for a long time in this 200-kilometer stage taking the Rhône valley in a north-south direction.
Roglic found himself on the ground 37 kilometers from the finish at the same time as his German teammate Tony Martin, forced to retire.
The German Maximilian Schachmann, second in the general classification, pocketed 4 bonus seconds in the two intermediate sprints to get closer to 31 seconds behind Roglic.
Bennett, 30, seized the last chance offered to sprinters in the event.
The Irishman won the 53rd victory of his career.
Friday, the 6th stage, the longest of the week, connects Brignoles (Var) to Biot (Alpes-Maritimes).
With five climbs or passes in the hinterland on the 202.5 kilometer course favorable to attackers.
© 2021 AFP